Trump Has Put Pakistan on Notice for Harboring Terrorists: Pence

The U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Friday issued a warning to Pakistan that it has provided safe haven to terrorists for too long but those days are over now, as President Donald Trump has now “put Pakistan on notice.”

“For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organizations, but those days are over,” Pence told U.S. troops at Bagram airfield.

He reiterated that Pakistan must stop providing sanctuaries to the Taliban and other militant groups fighting U.S. troops and their Afghan allies.

“President Trump has put Pakistan on notice. As the president said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the United States, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists,” the U.S. Vice President added.

Pence told the troops that “victory is closer than ever before,” adding that U.S. armed forces will remain in Afghanistan until the threat to the homeland is eliminated.

In addition, he said “real progress” is being made on the ground in Afghanistan.

“All across this country we’ve won new victories against the terrorists, no matter what they call themselves or where they try to hide,” he stated.

In response to U.S. VP, Pakistan on Friday said that allies do not put each other on notice.

In a statement Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesman said, “allies do not put each other on notice. On notice should be those factors responsible for exponential increase in drug production, expansion of ungoverned spaces, industrial scale corruption, breakdown of governance, and letting Daesh gain a foothold in Afghanistan.”